Open Gotta be cool headed (class)

[Kureji]

The very next day after Kureji came to Sand, early in the morning, as the sun outside of the dome was just barely even rising, Kureji was in the Toraono dojo to teach some kids. There was some random post about needing some teachers in return they will be paid. And Kureji is in need of being paid some yen. So he figured, heck, why not?

The place he got was a semi-big area, about two classrooms big, minus desks and chairs. Foam balls were all in the center of the room in a single line. He picked up one ball and tossed it up into the air and caught it. He won't be lame and do introductions. Nah, he's got more exciting ways to teach. As soon as the first person walks through that doorway, he would launch that foam ball at the person, aiming for the torso area, not putting chakra into his throw, since that could very easily turn something as harmless as a foam ball as a dangerous projectile.

(Welcome to class nerds O_O)
(for continuity purposes, this is before Kureji enters the event)

 

[Chikamatsu Suisen]

The boy moved down the halls of the Toraono dojo with soft, even steps, pale hair catching in the faint morning light. His eyes gleamed with curiosity, wide with the thrill of uncertainty. Today he would be instructed not by his clan, but by a stranger. A teacher beyond the Chikamatsu. Already his thoughts danced with mischief, schemes budding in his mind like seeds just waiting for water. 'Perhaps a frog in the chalk drawer? Or a puppet strung to tumble from the rafters?' The possibilities were endless.

He stepped across the threshold, head tilted in innocent intrigue, and for Kureji, the sight was uncanny. The boy’s likeness was unmistakable. He was a mirror of Chikamatsu Shin, but as if he walked into the classroom in his younger years, the very same features etched upon his face. Yet this child had no idea who stood before him, a once near rival of his father's where fatal blows were almost exchanged over the protection of his father's pupils.

The moment lasted only a breath before the teacher’s “lesson” began. The ball left Kureji’s hand and in the next instant, thwack! Struck Suisen squarely in the chest.

The boy clutched at himself as if pierced by an unseen spear. His eyes rolled upward, legs buckling beneath him. With a ragged gasp, he collapsed upon the floorboards, flailing weakly.

"Ah! Woe is me, struck by so foul a missile! This cruel and senseless world hath no mercy for an innocent babe such as I! O, accursèd fate, that even a foam-born orb should carry the weight of doom upon my breast!

He staggered in a half-sitting sprawl, hand pressed to his chest, voice rising in tremulous despair.

"Mark me well, kind spectators! Though I am but a child unblooded by the field, already I am damned! The yokai stir, their claws outstretched, eager to seize my tender soul! What wicked jest is this, that in my youth I should perish, unloved, undone, unshriven? Alas, I go, I go, into that endless dark!"

With a final, overdrawn sigh, Suisen sprawled flat upon the dojo floor, arms cast wide in imitation of a tragic martyr. He gave a last twitch for good measure, then stilled, face slack, awaiting the reaction of both teacher and classmates to his most magnificent death

 

[Kureji]

Kureji cocked his head to the side as he seen someone that looked familiar to him, but for his life, he feels like he also never met this person before. He would cock his head to the other side as the kid seemed to over reacting and was talking weirdly before collapsing and 'dying'. Kureji knows his own strength so he knows the kid is just trying to play him for a fool. Kureji would yawn and then say, "You fail." he would pause dramatically before saying, "Is what I would say if I was lame." He would pick up another foam ball, but this time he would wait till the boy would get up.

"Two parts of this lesson. One, dodge. And two, learn to be cool headed." He would toss it up into the air and catch it. "Dodging is one thing. Anyone can dodge. But keeping cool and going with the flow of things is a different matter. You ain't cool headed, your mind gets clouded, you make wrong choices, you fumble, and your ability to dodge becomes sloppy, making you an easier target for those who wanna off you."

With that said he performed handseals and three clones appeared and as those clones went to grab their own foam balls, Kureji will throw his own at Suisen. "The goal here is to take out all my clones and then me. It really is kinda a game. I'll call it dodge the ball." Kureji smiled, proud of this new game he made up. It could even be revolutionary!

 

[Chikamatsu Suisen]

Suisen popped up from the floor, brushing off his shirt like it was the grand finale of a performance. He threw Kureji a grin that practically sparkled.

"Alright, alright, lesson received. Dodge, stay cool, don’t freak out. I got it. No sweat."

Three clones appeared, each snatching for a foam ball, and Suisen’s eyes lit up. The real ball came flying at him, and he caught it effortlessly, spinning it on his fingers like it was a basketball in a street trick. He bounced it once on the floor, caught it again, and tilted his head at Kureji.

"Not bad, sensei. Not bad at all. But I’m warning you, I’m in top form today."

He held the ball up like a trophy, grin widening.

"Name’s Chikamatsu Suisen, son of the legendary Twilight Sage, Chikamatsu Shin, 12th Kazekage of Sunagakure. And if I win this little game, I’m writing my first entry of ‘beat Kureji sensei at his own game’ in the clan records. Front page, bold letters, everyone’s gonna know it’s me."

With a wink, he made the first move, flicking the ball toward one of the clones with a flourish. He didn’t wait to see if it hit, letting the action be all about showing off. A flick of his wrist and the connected Chakra String would cause the ball to fly back to his hand. Being of the Chikamatsu Clan, puppetry is one of the first talents he learned.

"Boom, first strike, look at that fresh off the street style. You can clap if you want, I accept applause at any time."

He bounced lightly on the balls of his feet, spinning the foam ball between his hands like a magician, eyes darting between the clones and the real Kureji.

"Alright, bring it on, gramps. I’m ready to show off just how cool and unstoppable I am."

 

[Kureji]

Kureji cocked his head to the side. "Why does it seem like everyone here now has a super long name? I'll just call you Suisen. Sounds easier. And how do you know my name... Unless.... I'm famous!!!" He would laugh, as he would drive himself insane, making his eyesight more sharp, things becoming more clearer as he picked up another ball whilst laughing hysterically and throwing it. "No matter how your opponent acts, or does, you have to be chill at first, to know how to react!"

By this time, two clones, one already dispersed from being hit, threw their foam balls as well. Kureji himself would grab another ball and would body switch with the first ball that he threw and, since he now considerably closed the distance, he would throw the ball at basically point blank range.

"Well you gotta beat me in order to pass the class. And I won't get paid if you don't pass. So the cards are in your favor, but I also won't just hand you the win."

(Used blur on self for blatant denial buffs)
(used body switch with first ball thrown)

 

[Chikamatsu Suisen]

Suisen’s pale eyes sparkled as he watched Kureji cock his head, the man’s laughter filling the dojo with a manic energy that made even the clones seem unpredictable. Suisen’s grin widened, sharp and playful, as he tilted his head.

"Suisen’s fine," he said, voice carrying easily over the chaos. "But you can call me whatever’s easiest, sensei. And yeah… I’ve heard about you. Rogue ninja, infamous, and a band? That’s—fucking cool as hell, man!" He laughed lightly, a mix of admiration and mischief sparkling in his gaze.

He shifted his weight slightly, spinning the foam ball between his fingers. "So I get it. Chill first, assess second. Keep your head clear and your reflexes sharper. Makes sense. You gotta know what’s coming before you even think of moving… I like that. That’s a real lesson, not just some random exercise."

Suisen’s attention snapped as two clones launched their foam balls at him, moving with surprising speed. He leapt sideways, catching the first ball midair, flipping it between his knuckles, and sent it spinning back at a clone with precise force. Then the second clone’s throw came, and he snatched it almost instinctively, eyes flicking toward Kureji—only to realize too late that the man had body-switched with the very first ball Suisen had thrown.

Before Suisen could react, Kureji’s real body was suddenly at point-blank range. The foam ball slammed into his chest with an impossible speed, knocking him off balance and forcing him to stumble back onto one knee. Even with his reflexes and puppetry skills, an S-Rank ninja’s attack at that distance left no room for dodging.

Suisen’s grin wavered for a brief second as he gasped, catching his breath, then spun the ball in his hands, eyes glittering with renewed excitement rather than fear. "Okay… wow," he admitted, his voice a mixture of awe and exhilaration. "Point-blank, huh? Didn’t think anyone could hit me like that. Respect, sensei… that was insane."

He let his gaze sweep across Kureji, taking in the man’s chaotic energy, the laughter, the erratic movements, and the sheer confidence radiating from him. "And you are famous! Rogue ninja, rock star, all of it? Totally badass. Seriously, the stories don’t even do you justice."

Suisen crouched slightly, spinning the ball expertly between his hands, watching Kureji’s every twitch. "Alright, sensei. Chill, assess, react. Keep me on my toes, make me earn it. I get it. And yeah… I’m gonna make this memorable. Can’t just let a legendary rogue ninja school me without putting on a proper show, right?"

He bounced lightly, eyes flicking between Kureji and the remaining clones, a playful, daring grin spreading across his face. "Your move. Let’s see if you can keep up with me now."

Suisen spun the foam ball in his hands, letting it fly toward a clone with a flick of his wrist, only for it to ricochet off the wall and arc back toward him. He caught it seamlessly, twirling it between his fingers before sending a web of chakra strings latching onto the remaining clones’ balls. In a blur of movement, he yanked them back toward him, trying to cause the clones to stagger and giving him the perfect opening.

"Nice try, sensei," he called out, grinning as he leapt forward, spinning the ball toward Kureji’s clone while another string lashed toward the real Kureji. "But you’re not the only one who can play games around here!"

Every movement was a show, precise but flashy, as Suisen began turning the chaotic battlefield into a controlled dance, juggling foam balls, clones, and chakra strings like a master puppeteer showing off for an audience of one.